If you’re interested in the whole hour, go right ahead and watch. But
if you want to hear Ouidad say something that *might* make you believe
your entire natural hair journey has been a lie (of course I’m being
dramatic), fast forward to 34:09 when Renee of In Her Shoes mentions
using oils to seal in moisture and add shine:

As much as I am a blogger and writer, I am also an avid reader of BGLH and I did not miss the recent video highlight of Ouidad discussing hair and her opinion on using oil on hair. To be specific the quoted portion from the conversation,

‘Oil does not seal in moisture. Oil coats the hair and repeals
natural moisture [from the environment]. It causes dehydration,
dullness, and frizziness. Our hair is like us, it needs to breathe. If
we suffocate it [with oils], it dries out.’

When a natural says ‘I use oil to seal in moisture’, they usually
mean that after applying water or a water based product to hair, a film
of oil is used to help prevent moisture loss. This is the question I
will address and not the semantics of whether the right word is seal or
coat.

- Oil DOES help to prevent moisture loss from the hair fibre. Hair with an oil layer has higher moisture retention compared to uncoated hair.
- Oil DOES have a sealing effect. Hair with an oil
layer will take up less water vapour compared to uncoated hair which
means that the oil layer slows moisture uptake. Coconut oil allowed more moisture in than mineral oil (i.e mineral oil is a better sealer).
- Oil layers on hair DO NOT prevent hair from taking up water vapour. Although uncoated hair will take up the most water vapour from the air, hair coated with oil (mineral, sunflower or coconut) will also still take up significant amounts of water vapour from the air.

The final conclusion of the study was that oil films on hair
slow the loss of moisture from the hair creating a moisturising effect.

Q3: What exactly is in the glaze product suggested for shine instead of oil?

The Ouidad shine glaze serum suggested as a final touch for shine
contains two silicones (silicones are oils), alcohol and an emollient
(Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Alcohol Denat, C12-15 Alkyl
Benzoate). It is pretty much a silicone based serum that will feel less
oily due to the emollient. In the grand scheme of water entry prevention
to hair, silicones and mineral oil are top of the table.

Q4: Does oil suffocate hair?

Since a significant amount of water can still get into oil coated
hair (even mineral oil coated hair), no, oil cannot suffocate hair. It
simply takes a little longer to get water in but equally, water that is
underneath the oil layer, takes longer to get out.

Q5: Does oil prevent water from entering hair?

No, there is no oil that can form an absolute barrier from water
entry to hair. If you chose to dunk your head in a tub of oil and then
went into a shower, your hair would still get wet because despite all
that oil, water can get in!

Q6: Will a thicker oil coating slow down moisture uptake from the air?

Yes, the thicker the oil coating on your hair, the lower the uptake
of water from the air. A light film will allow more water uptake from
the air. You can experiment with light or heavy oiling to find out which
one suits you best, there is no universal correct method.

Q7: What if you do experience dry and dull hair when using oil?

First, always feel free to add water to your hair should it feel dry,
the water will penetrate past any oil layer. You can also use less oil
and opt for a light natural oil (jojoba, sunflower, coconut, almond) instead of silicone or mineral oil. However, if oil is not for you, this is also fine, respect your hair!

As much as I am a blogger and writer, I am also an avid reader of BGLH and I did not miss the recent video highlight of Ouidad discussing hair and her opinion on using oil on hair. To be specific the quoted portion from the conversation,

‘Oil does not seal in moisture. Oil coats the hair and repeals
natural moisture [from the environment]. It causes dehydration,
dullness, and frizziness. Our hair is like us, it needs to breathe. If
we suffocate it [with oils], it dries out.’

When a natural says ‘I use oil to seal in moisture’, they usually
mean that after applying water or a water based product to hair, a film
of oil is used to help prevent moisture loss. This is the question I
will address and not the semantics of whether the right word is seal or
coat.

- Oil DOES help to prevent moisture loss from the hair fibre. Hair with an oil layer has higher moisture retention compared to uncoated hair.
- Oil DOES have a sealing effect. Hair with an oil
layer will take up less water vapour compared to uncoated hair which
means that the oil layer slows moisture uptake. Coconut oil allowed more moisture in than mineral oil (i.e mineral oil is a better sealer).
- Oil layers on hair DO NOT prevent hair from taking up water vapour. Although uncoated hair will take up the most water vapour from the air, hair coated with oil (mineral, sunflower or coconut) will also still take up significant amounts of water vapour from the air.

The final conclusion of the study was that oil films on hair
slow the loss of moisture from the hair creating a moisturising effect.

Q3: What exactly is in the glaze product suggested for shine instead of oil?

The Ouidad shine glaze serum suggested as a final touch for shine
contains two silicones (silicones are oils), alcohol and an emollient
(Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Alcohol Denat, C12-15 Alkyl
Benzoate). It is pretty much a silicone based serum that will feel less
oily due to the emollient. In the grand scheme of water entry prevention
to hair, silicones and mineral oil are top of the table.

Q4: Does oil suffocate hair?

Since a significant amount of water can still get into oil coated
hair (even mineral oil coated hair), no, oil cannot suffocate hair. It
simply takes a little longer to get water in but equally, water that is
underneath the oil layer, takes longer to get out.

Q5: Does oil prevent water from entering hair?

No, there is no oil that can form an absolute barrier from water
entry to hair. If you chose to dunk your head in a tub of oil and then
went into a shower, your hair would still get wet because despite all
that oil, water can get in!

Q6: Will a thicker oil coating slow down moisture uptake from the air?

Yes, the thicker the oil coating on your hair, the lower the uptake
of water from the air. A light film will allow more water uptake from
the air. You can experiment with light or heavy oiling to find out which
one suits you best, there is no universal correct method.

Q7: What if you do experience dry and dull hair when using oil?

First, always feel free to add water to your hair should it feel dry,
the water will penetrate past any oil layer. You can also use less oil
and opt for a light natural oil (jojoba, sunflower, coconut, almond) instead of silicone or mineral oil. However, if oil is not for you, this is also fine, respect your hair!

I am not understanding the second paragraph. Everything Ouidad says states that oil does seal in moisture. This is why is important to place a leave in on the hair before using oil. It holds the moisture in so it doesn't get disapated. If oil still allows for environmental moisture to come in, albeit slowly then it does not fully repel natural moisture. It actually sounds like a win-win to me. By using oils you get to keep moisture in and also get moisture from the environment.

They can be protein rich.....fatty....astringent....and they also have different molecule sizes which directly factor in to how they can penetrate the skin and hair......once you understand this you can better choose which is best for you....some absorb skin and hair better....I for one adore Macadamia oil its fatty and absorbs like no other and it is perfect for my sensitive skin......I can use it on my entire body and it love it....its expensive tho....

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